Market rankings · Connecticut
Fast food and sandwich shops in Connecticut
Markets across Connecticut ranked by the Groundwork market score for fast food and sandwich shops, with competitor counts and household spending for each.
- Listings
- 1,869
- 1,108 chain locations (59%)
- Official establishments
- 2,883
- All limited-service restaurants · +7.5% since 2019
- Household spending a year
- $6.5B
- On food away from home
- Listings per 10k households
- 13.0
- 2% below the U.S.
- Spending per listing
- $3.5M
- 13% above the U.S.
- Rank among states
- #8 of 51
- Market score 65 · Upper middle
A site report maps the fast food and sandwich shops on map listings around any address in Connecticut by name and distance, and the spending within reach.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardSurvey estimates 2020–2024 · population estimates 2025 · official business counts 2023 · map listings September 2026 · Data credits · How we measure
What this means
Map listings as of September 2026 show 1,869 fast food and sandwich shops in Connecticut. Of those, 1,108 are chain locations, or 59%, against 79% across the U.S. That is 13.0 per 10,000 households, 2% below the U.S. rate of 13.3.
At $4,498 per household (11% above the U.S. average), households in Connecticut spend about $6.5B a year on food away from home. That works out to $3.5M per shop, 13% above the U.S. figure of $3.1M. That spending covers all food away from home, which fast food and sandwich shops share with other businesses in the trade.
In 2023, official counts showed 2,883 businesses with payroll in Connecticut classed as limited-service restaurants, up 7.5% from 2019. That is one for every 497 households, against one for every 478 across the U.S. Across the U.S., the count rose 6.1% over the same years. The official count takes in all limited-service restaurants, not only fast food and sandwich shops: pizza places are counted too. Since fiscal 2022, 111 SBA-backed loans worth $36.3M have gone to businesses classed as limited-service restaurants in Connecticut.
Among the 50 states and DC, Connecticut ranks #8 for fast food and sandwich shops, with a Groundwork market score of 65 (upper middle). Of the 5 scored metro areas in or partly in Connecticut, the Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford metro area scores highest (76). Of the 2 scored small-town markets in or partly in Connecticut, the Putnam area scores highest (92).
Every market in Connecticut for fast food and sandwich shops
Download the ranking (CSV)Numbered by Groundwork market score among the markets based in Connecticut, highest first; the U.S. rank compares each market with every other of its kind. A metro area that crosses a state line is listed in each state it reaches, and numbered only in the state its page is under. How the score works.
Metro areas
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | 76 | 522 | 11.2 | $4M | +3.0% | #40 of 387 |
| 2Waterbury-Shelton, CT | 73 | 223 | 12.4 | $3.4M | +3.2% | #55 of 387 |
| 3Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | 64 | 541 | 15.2 | $3.3M | +3.7% | #106 of 387 |
| 4Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT | 63 | 137 | 11.8 | $3.5M | +2.0% | #113 of 387 |
| 5New Haven, CT | 51 | 367 | 15.9 | $2.7M | +2.5% | #188 of 387 |
Small-town markets
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Putnam, CT | 92 | 36 | 9.1 | $4.7M | +3.0% | #4 of 537 |
| 2Torrington, CT | 88 | 43 | 9.0 | $4.9M | +2.2% | #6 of 537 |
Counties
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Northeastern Connecticut Planning Region, CT | 84 | 36 | 9.1 | $4.7M | +3.0% | #77 of 2,222 |
| 2Northwest Hills Planning Region, CT | 81 | 43 | 9.0 | $4.9M | +2.2% | #109 of 2,222 |
| 3Lower Connecticut River Valley Planning Region, CT | 76 | 69 | 9.3 | $5M | +2.3% | #202 of 2,222 |
| 4Capitol Planning Region, CT | 69 | 453 | 11.6 | $3.8M | +3.1% | #400 of 2,222 |
| 5Naugatuck Valley Planning Region, CT | 68 | 223 | 12.4 | $3.4M | +3.2% | #439 of 2,222 |
| 6Western Connecticut Planning Region, CT | 63 | 359 | 15.3 | $3.5M | +3.5% | #614 of 2,222 |
| 7Southeastern Connecticut Planning Region, CT | 61 | 137 | 11.8 | $3.5M | +2.0% | #691 of 2,222 |
| 8Greater Bridgeport Planning Region, CT | 60 | 182 | 15.2 | $2.9M | +4.1% | #759 of 2,222 |
| 9South Central Connecticut Planning Region, CT | 52 | 367 | 15.9 | $2.7M | +2.5% | #1,072 of 2,222 |
Questions
How many fast food and sandwich shops are in Connecticut?
There are 1,869 fast food and sandwich shops on map listings in Connecticut as of September 2026. 1,108 of them (59%) are chain locations. The listings count fast food, sandwich shops, delis and bagel shops. Official counts show 2,883 businesses with payroll classed as limited-service restaurants in 2023, up 7.5% from 2019. That count covers all limited-service restaurants (pizza places included), not only fast food and sandwich shops. Official counts list 632 one-person businesses without payroll.
How much do households in Connecticut spend on food away from home?
About $6.5B a year, or $4,498 per household. That is 11% above the U.S. average (an index of 111, where 100 is the U.S. average). Spread across the 1,869 fast food and sandwich shops on map listings, it comes to $3.5M per shop. The spending figure covers all food away from home, not only fast food and sandwich shops. It is estimated from the incomes of the 1,434,007 households in Connecticut and national spending patterns by income.
How does Connecticut compare with the U.S. for fast food and sandwich shops?
Connecticut has 13.0 fast food and sandwich shops per 10,000 households, 2% below the U.S. rate of 13.3. Spending per shop is $3.5M, 13% above the U.S. figure of $3.1M. At the national ratio of fast food and sandwich shops to household spending, Connecticut would have about 2,114, against 1,869 on map listings. There is one business with payroll in the industry for every 497 households, against one for every 478 across the U.S. The official count rose 7.5% from 2019 to 2023, against +6.1% for the U.S.
Which market in Connecticut has the highest market score for fast food and sandwich shops?
Among 5 scored metro areas in or partly in Connecticut, the Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford metro area scores highest, at 76 (high). Among 2 scored small-town markets in or partly in Connecticut, the Putnam area scores highest, at 92 (very high). Among 9 scored counties in Connecticut, the Northeastern Connecticut Planning Region scores highest, at 84 (high). Scores compare each market with others of its kind across the U.S.
What is the Groundwork market score?
The Groundwork market score runs from 0 to 100 and compares a market with others of its kind for one business type: states with states, metro areas with metro areas, small-town markets and counties with their own. It weighs household spending per competitor (35%), households per business with payroll (25%), population growth (20%) and spending power (20%), each ranked against those peers. A higher score means that, taken together, the market has more household spending and more households for each business already there, faster population growth and more spending per household than similar markets. It describes a market, not any one site or deal. Connecticut scores 65 for fast food and sandwich shops (upper middle), #8 of the 50 states and DC.
How can I see the market around a specific site?
Run a Groundwork site report on an address in Connecticut. It maps the fast food and sandwich shops on map listings near the site and sizes the households and spending within the distance you choose. New accounts get 10 actions over 3 days, no card.
Fast food and sandwich shops in other states
All 51 states
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Top markets for fast food and sandwich shops across the U.S. · All business types in Connecticut
Related business types in Connecticut
- Restaurants and cafes16,104 listings
- Sit-down restaurants9,093 listings
- Pizza1,531 listings
- Coffee shops and cafes1,573 listings
- Bakeries and dessert shops1,622 listings
Screening a site or an acquisition in Connecticut?
A site report maps the competitors on map listings near an address and sizes the households and spending around it.
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are estimates for research only. Not investment or real estate advice.